Music-turning device



May s, 1923. 1,454,766

L. PINELL ET AL MUS IC TURNING DEVICE Filed Jan. :5, 1922 2 sheets-sheet a ,EE-Z,

fg- 7 Suva JCoz Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSIC-TURNING DEVICE.

Application filed January 3,1922. Serial No. 526,794.

To @ZZ/whom t 'may concern:

Be It known that we, LOUIS PINELL and CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Loor, citizens ofthe lUnited States, and residents of Tacoma,

county of Pierce, and State of Washington, have invented certainnew and useful Improve-ments in Music-Turning Devices, of which the following is a speciiication.

Our invention relates to improvements in leaf turning devices, and more particularly to devicesof that character adapted to be used on music stands, in pianos, or in connection with various other musical instruments for turning the leaves of music books or of the ordinary copies of sheet music.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character that may be applied to a music standa or rack, and which may be so adjusted that it will readily adapt itself to books or sheet music of different size.

Other objects of the invention reside in the method of adjusting, and in the means for securing the device in functional position; also, in thev details of construction of the means for retaining a book, or piece of music, in proper4 position so that its leaves may be turned, one at a time, in either direction.

In accomplishing these and other objects of theinvention, we have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereiny `Figure l is a front elevation of a music stand equipped with a leaf turning device embodied by the present invention, illustrating the disposition of the device on the rack and the manner of securing a copy of music therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, front view of a part of the leaf turning device, showing the turningl plate in the position it assumes just after a leaf has been engaged for turning.

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the turning plate in the position it assumes just after a leaf has been turned but before the "plate has been returned to normal position.

Figure 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially on the line L1?-4 in Figure 2, illustrating the position of the turning "plate and the leaf engaging member in set position.

Figure 5 is a similar view, showing the sheet engaging plate advanced beneath the edge of the leaf that is to be turned.

Figure 6 is a similar View, showing the parts during a turning operation.

yFigure 7 is a perspective yiew1 illustrating the manner of cutting away the back edge of a piece of music to adapt it to the turning device.

Figure 8 is an enlarged, sectional view, showing the manner of sloping the cut in the back of the book. Referring more in detail to they drawingsl designates the music supporting rack of a music standJ or the like, which is equipped along its lower edge with a rail 2 whereon a book of music or copy of sheet music of the ordinary type may be supported. Mounted centrally on the rack, is a leaf turning device 3 as embodied by the present invention, comprising a fiat base plate 4 equipped at its lower end with a laterally' turned portion 5 which may be secured to the rail 2 of they rack to hold the device in place. Secured to the upper end of the plate 4, is an adjustable extension plate 6 provided at its upper end with an adjustably eXtendible hook 7 that is disposed over the top rail of the rack and, by proper adjustment, retains the device extended for copies of music or books of certain height. The plate 6 has leg portions 6 which have slidable connection with the plate 4 to permit the necessary, or desired, adjustment, and there are springs S secured to these legs and to the plate so that the hook will be normally retained engaged with the rack and the adjustment yieldingly maintained.

Fixed adjacent the lower and upper ends of the plates 4 and 6 respectively, are spring fingers l() and 11 which are adapted to receive thereunder the front and back, or cover, leaves of a book or piece of music so as to retain the same properly in position with respect to the turning mechanism presently described. Also, mounted on the base plates, intermediate the spring fingers of the two sets, are paired gripping lingers 12 and 13 that are pivotally ixed in lugs 14 on the base plates a-nd are adapted to receive therein the inside sheets of a piece of music which are not ordinarily secured to the outer, or cover sheets, so that these loose leaves will be held properly in position for turning either forwardly or backwardly.

In arranging a book, or piece of music, on the rack it is placed so that the clamping fingers 12 and 13 will grip the leaves at opposite ends of the center fold. Itvwill also be noted here that in order to adapt books, or pieces of music, to this leaf turning device, it is necessary that rectangular openings, as shown at 15 in Figure 7, be cut in their back edges. These openings will extend equally at each side of the center fold when the sheets are opened apart, as will be noted by reference to Figure 1, and, for most effective operation of the device, it is desired that the side edges of the opening in each succeeding sheet, being the edges designated at 16 in Figure 8, be a little farther from the fold of the sheet. This effect is obtained by cutting the base edge of the openings 15 on an incline as is shown in Figure 8.

Mounted on the base plate 4, in such position that they will be disposed one above the other within the opening of a book or piece of music mounted on the rack, are leaf turning plates 17 and 18; the plate 17 being for the purpose of turning the leaves from the right to the left side of a book, and the plate 18 for turning them in the opposite direction. In construction and in operation, each of the turning plates is identical and in the following description only the plate 17 and parts associated therewith will be described, with the understanding that the description relates equally to the other device.

The plate 17 is provided at lower and upper ends along its back edges with hinge pins 20 and 20', having tapered outer ends 21 pivotally mounted within socketed ends of adjusting screw-s 22 that are threaded through ears 23 fixed to the plate 4 in vertical alinement. When in set position, the plate 17 is disposed flatly against the base plate 4, as is shown in Figure 4 and, when actuated, swings on its pivotal supports to the opposite side of the plate, as shown in Figure The edge of the plate 17 is rolled about the hinge pins and this rolled portion is provided with a spirally directed groove 25.

The means for vactuating the plate about its pivotal mounting comprises a bar 26 that is slidably fixed to the back of the plate 4 and which has a lateral extension 26 provided With a pin 27 that extends through a slot 28 in the plate 4 and into the spirai groove 25 so that, on pulling the bar downwardly, the pin following along the groove will cause the plate to be rotated about its pivotal support. The bar 26 extends beneath the supporting rail of the music rack and has a knob, or handle. of any desirable character thereon whereby it may be actuated. After a turning operation, the parts are returned again to normal, set position as cured on the plate 17 in spaced relation l thereto. At the inner edge of the plate 32 is an upturned flange 35 and, disposed between this flange and a similar flange 36 on the plate 17 is a spring 37 whereby the plate 32 is continuously urged outwardly. At the outer ends of the plate portions 33 of the leaf engaging plate 32, are downturned hooklike portions 39 having rounded outer surfaces 40. When the plate 32 is in normal position, these hooks project downwardly through slots 41 in the edge of the plate 4 and are engaged by extension portions 29 of the bar 26, so that the plate 32 is retained thereby in retracted position. When the bar 26 is moved downwardly for the purpose of turning a leaf of music, its initial movement causes the hooks 39 to be disengaged by the bar extensions 29 and this permits the spring 37 to push the plate 32 outwardly from the position as shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 5, so that its outer edge will be moved beneath the edge of the upper leaf designated at 42.

A pair of spring fingers 43 are fixed to the outer edge of the plate 32 and these have slightly upturned ends which guide the leaf into position and grip the same sufficiently that it may be held during the turning operation. A farther downward movement of the bar then actuates the plate 17 about the pivot pins and this causes the leaf to be turned. After the leaf has been turned, the bar 26 is released and the spring 30 returns it and the plate 17 to normal, set position. lVhen the plate starts to return, the fingers 43 yield so that the leaf slips from beneath the same and is not returned. As the parts near their normal, set position, the hooks 39 enter the slots 41 and their forward curved edges 40 engage with the bar extensions 29 and, as the plate 17 continues to move towards set position. these hooks, sliding;r against the bar portions, force the plate 32 inwardly against the pressure of the spring 37 so that it again assumes a retracted osition. The following leaves of the boo or piece of music, may likewise be turned by downward movements of the bar 26.

In order that the leaves may be held properly after they have been turned, we have provided at the upper and lower ends of the base members, bars 50 and 51 and, at the ends of these, we have provided yieldable spring fingers 53 under which the leaves may pass as they are turned and will be held in open position. These devices are not strong enough. however, to prevent the leaves from being turned when the device is operated.

The device just]k described, and which is illustrated, is for the purpose of turning the leaves, from right to left. It is apparent, however, that the same mechanism in a. reverse position can be used for turning the leaves in the opposite direction. Such a mechanism is illustrated in Figure l and is actuated by means of the bar 26A. l

It is further apparent that devices of this character can be made as a permanent part of a music stand, or can be made as an independent article applicable to stands of various size.

It is also apparent that changes in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, can be made and it is not intended that the device be limited only to the construction illustrated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. The combination with a music rack, and a book supported on the rack having an opening eut in the back edge thereof to expose portions of its leaves, of a leaf turning device comprising a base member secured to the rack beneath the book, a leaf turning plate pivotally mounted on the base plate and disposed within the opening in the book, means for actuating the turning plate hingedly about its pivotal points, and extendible means on the turning plate engageable with the leaves of the book to cause them to be turned upon actuation of the turning plate.

2. The combination with a music rack, and a book supported on the rack having an opening cut in the back edge thereof to expose portions of its leaves, of leaf turning device comprising a base member secured to the rack, a leaf turning plate pivotally mounted on the base member and disposed within the opening in said book, means for actuating the turning plate pivotally from side to side, leaf engaging means slidable on the turning plate adapted to be extended upon initial movement of the turning member into engagement with the upper leaf of the book so that the said leaf will be turned by actuation of the turning plate and to be retracted by movement of the turning plate to initial position.

3. The combination with a music rack, and a book supported on the rack having an opening cut in the back edge thereof to expose portions of its leaves, of a leaf turning device fixed to t-he rack comprising a base member, a leaf turning plate hingedly fixed to the base member and disposed when in set position within the opening of the book, a leaf engaging plate slidably mounted on the turning plate, means for normally retaining the leaf engaging plate in retracted position, a spring for urging it outwardly when released to extend its outer edge beneath the edge of the leafto be turned, a lever operatively connected to effect operation of the turning plate and to permit extension of the leaf engaging plate, and means for automatically returning the parts to initial posit-ion after a turning operation. f v

4. The combination with a music rack, and a book supported upon the rack having a recess formed in the back edge thereof to expose portions of its leaves, of a leaf turning device comprising a base plate adapted to ber secured to the rack, a leaf turning plate hingedly fixed to the base member and disposed within the recess of said book, a leaf engaging plate slidably fixed on the turning plate and having downturned end portions adapted to extend through the base plate when the parts are in set position, an actuating bar slidably mounted on the under side of the base plate and operatively connected to actuate the turning plate, and having extensions thereon for normally engaging the downturned ends of the turning plate to retain the latterin a retracted position, a spring pressing against the leaf engaging plate whereby the latter will be moved to an extended position when released lby the bar extensions and caused to engage the upper leaf of the book in such manner that the leaf will be turned upon actuation of the turning plate, and means for returning the parts to initial position upon a return movement of the actuating bar,

5. The combination with a music rack, and a book supported on the rack having an opening cut in the back edge thereof to expose portions of its leaves, of a. lea-f turning device comprising a base member secured to the rack beneath the book, a leaf turning plate hingedly mounted upon the base plate and having a spirally directed slot along its base portion, a leaf engaging plate slidably mounted on the turning plate and normally retained on retracted position, a spring for urging the leaf engaging plate outwardly when released so that it will be extended beneath the edge of a leaf to be turned, a bar slidably mounted on the base. plate having a pin therein extended into said spiral slot whereby actuation of the bar longitudinally will effect swinging movement of the turning plate; said bar also having extensions thereon engageable with parts of the leaf engaging plate whereby t-he latter is normally retained in retracted position and whereby, on a. return movement of the bar. the said plate will be moved from extended to retracted position for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a music rack. and a book supported on the rack provided with a recess in its back edge, of a leaf turning device comprising a base member secured to the rack, a leaf turning plate hingedly mounted on the base member and disposed Within the recess of the book; said turning plate having a spirall directed slot along its base portions, a eaf engaging plate slidably mounted upon the turning plate and having downturned, opposite end portions adapted to extend beneath the base plate when the turning plate is in normal position, an actuating bar mounted on the back of the base plate having a pin therein extended into said spiral slot whereby longitudinal movement of the bar will effect swinging movement of the plate, and having extensions thereon engageable with the downturned ends of the leaf engaging plate whereby the latter is normally held in retracted position, a spring bearing against the leaf engaging plate to move the latter to extended position to engage a leaf of the book when released from said bar extensions so that swinging of the plate will cause turning of the engaged leaf, and a spring attached to said bar for returning it to normal position to effect the re-setting of the turning plate and the engagement of the do'wnturned end portions of the leaf engaging plate with the extensions of said bar which effects a. retractife movement of the leaf engaging plate.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 28th day of December, 1921.

LOUIS PINELL. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS LOOP. 

